Wednesday, October 12, 2016

The Cro-Slo Diary!

Standing in our balcony today, I looked up to the sky. It was so full of stars that I just kept on looking, focussing more and I could see the Milky
way glow after years! Last I saw it was in Ladakh, before that, in Andaman! I am in Zaton, Croatia now and our long trip is coming to its fag end. It has been mesmerising. Tiring on somedays obviously because we have to do so much, Aanya is completely dependent on us, but every step has been pure joy. Driving through the winding and amazing highways of Croatia, along the deep blue Adriatic, the Slovenian bliss before that, walks in the old towns, dips in the cold water, beautiful sunsets, above all spending so much time with Vas and Aanya, talking, doing routine stuff, taking walks, cooking, having beer...its been full of Life, purest form of it!

It all started with our train journey from Vienna to Ljubljana, such fun filled 6 hours spent in a cozy cabin looking at the green surroundings and having fun with Aanya all along. Perfect slow start to the trip :) Trains are somehow true representations of journeys :)

On reaching Ljubljana, taking our car from Sixt was a breeze and we were on the road in a jiffy! And wow...I always wait for this, getting into our car and getting out on the roads of Europe. Our first stop was Bohinj. I still remember seeing Lake Bohinj in a BBC Travel blog and instantly wanting to go there. But before we could go to the lake and get lost in its mystical vibe, the village we stayed in, Bitnje in Bohinj, took us into its own world. A village surrounded by mountains, having just 25-30 homes, a commanding, mesmerising village church, greenry all around, lovely folks, smell of farming and cattle in the air...sound of church bells and the water streams, its a village right out of my fairy tale world.

A walk around the village was like meditation. The air, so clear, so refreshing and cool, people, always smiling...one guy even took us into his cattle rooms and let Aanya meet the mamoth sized cows! Aah the village life, people busy in farming, plucking fruits, flowers...living without worries. A village where people are so religious, their church stands as a testimony to their beliefs. Across the highway, amidst vast green fields, the village church was a sight to behold, I will never forget it in my Life. And the church bells in the evening, during supper time, when the smoke rises from all chimneys, was so calming, as if someone is watching over us and we should just be, without any worries. The pic in which Aanya is running across the fields near the church, will be embedded in my memory forever! Across the church there was a silent corner, with a bridge and a railway track and water stream flowing under it. It was a scene out of Anid Blyton's Famous Five world and took us straight back into childhood mystery stories and the time spent with friends in our neighbourhood corners!

And then the time came to visit the Lake that attracted us towards Slovenia. The Lake Bohinj. The drive from our place was beautiful, through some typical small towns and greens. Just after a few Kms it was in front of us...The Blue Lake with waters so clear that one keeps staring at them with wonder! Flanked by mountains, its a huge lake, but more than magnanimity, Lake Bohinj is about calmness and clarity! The site of the church and bridge on the starting point is one to behold. Our first trip to the lake took us to the other extreme end though to a very cozy small lake beach where we couldn't resist and went in. Aanya had great fun with the blue water and I had great fun throwing stones bouncing over the lake as if on their own adventure!

I am standing here, with the Bohinj waters 
Calmness they instil, vastness they possess
I am here, I am now...The lake says...
"I will be forever too, for every now from here
Everlasting I am, feel me, touch me...be with me for a moment,
Feel how it is to be everlasting, even for this spur..."
I felt it, I am...everlasting for the moment! 
Lake Bohinj...You were a lesson in calmness! 


We loved the B&B at Bohinj,  very comfortable,  but the highlights would be the lake and the village! Stamped on my memory forever,  both of them.

I will also never forget the beautiful Pizzeria right in the middle of a valley where we had 2 amazing meals, some of the best pizzas, in of of the best ever settings. Surrounded by mountains, green farms, glowing in the sunshine, it was out of the fairy tale book :)

Our short stay in Slovenia came to an end and now it was Croatia time.  The drive was excellent,  except some traffic on the border control which is usual in this region.  The terrain seemed to change a lot,  the terraced gardens of Austria and Slovenia disappear, more country side plains surrounded by Mountains appear.  Croatia is more run down than Slovenia but it captured our attention immediately with all its unique beauty!

It was Plitvice Lakes National Park time for us,  so we were still in Upper Croatia,  away from the Coast.  I was excited,  but I didn't know what a wonder we were about to experience!

National Parks in India are a different game,  full of animals,  more arid at times and less about hikes and more about safaries! National Parks in the US are more about hikes,  are huge.  I though I will witness something more like the US National parks.

The weather played around a bit with us,  cloudy and rainy but as soon as it cleared up we left for the park worrying about long queue at the entrance.  It was long,  but quite peaceful. I read so many blogs last night about the Lakes that now I couldn't wait to see the so called Emerald Waters.  Lower Lakes greeted us as soon as we entered.  And man! I have never seen anything  like this before. Emerald Green,  Crystal clear waters,  terraced lakes connected by waterfalls and a vibe so mystical I could only remember Rivendale from LOTR! This was breathtaking! The water is so clear in the lakes that we could see fish almost smiling at us,  the fish were also in a great mood,  not fearing us but almost dancing in the wonder of Plitvice!

The hike was so refreshing,  exciting,  every corner,  every turn I couldn't wait to peep and see what is in store next,  no wonder this place was so crowded but the vibe really dominated and crowds never seemed to bother! The boat trip over one of the bigger lakes was good as well. And return journey a breeze.

The Lakes will be one of the most beautiful natural wonders that I will see ever for sure. We came so satisfied and uplifted from the Lakes.  Now we were even more excited to go towards the coast! Different wonders awaited us :)

The drive from Plitvice to Sibenic was a dampener on this trip,  one of the very few.  Highway closed,  loads of traffic on interior roads and we were welcomed by a Forest Fire in Sibenic! Aanya's mood also went for a ride,  I hoped our B&B is good.

And great it was indeed.  One of the best designed B&Bs ever,  we felt at home immediately.  The coast was near. The ocean in Croatia is sparkling blue and crystal clear.  The beaches can't beat sand beaches but the water was amazing! We loved our walks on the dock areas near our B&B.

But I will always remember Sibenic for its Old Town Charm.  Beautiful streets,  cafes and a great promenade to cover it all.  The Sibenic Old town was one of the highlights of our trip!

From Sibenic to Dubrovnic, a drive that was worrying us because if the fear of traffic, may be because of what we faced while driving into Sibenic a few days back! But this drive was one of the best highway drives for me, super fast, clear roads, bright glorious day and the changing terrain! We were back to our drive and tune up mode with great music and the Top Gear! We reached Zaton, a cozy little town before Dubrovnic situated around a small bay of the Adriatic. The apartment was in a nice location with a great terrace and view of the town and waters. The best part though was the walk around the ocean in Zaton, winding concrete paths with many boats floating on water on the docks, water so clear and the vibe so warm. We will remember our walks in Zaton.

Our first drive towards Dubrovnic was an eye opener, it set the tone of what was to come, the first sight of Dubrovnic from the highway will fill anyone with awe. This is a city of magnificent views from all around. We were so excited about going to the Old Town next day. The Old town of Dubrovnic is nothing less than mesmerising. Our first trip to the town, although great, but was marred by the heavy weekend crowds, so we came back early, but not before enjoying the walk in the "Game of thrones" zone!

We came back a bit irritated because of the crowds. But because we came back early we decided to drive down to another country! The nearby Montenegro, and town of Kotor! And man, I didn't know that this will be one of best drives ever! Enchanting views of the ocean, Dubrovnic, the drives around the coast, with great Ladakh kind of mountains forming a gorgeous backdrop, the drive made our day. We stopped at a small beach, took a dip in cool water for what was our best time spent in ocean on the trip! In the middle of nowhere in Montenegro!

Then we reached Kotor, wow, such a charming town! The old town of Kotor was like Minasterith from LOTR :) Such a great vibe the streets had, I kept falling for the old small town charm of this region. I wish we could climb right to the top of the mountain fort, but it was an "Uphill" task for us with Aanya, so we spent nice 3 hours in the town, roaming around, having beer and taking it all in. The evening in Kotor is something I will remember for a long time and that it came up as a surprise, was even better! No wonder its another World heritage site in the area. The night drive back was awesome as well, these places are so full of great views that its tough to drive with focus. The Croatian Border control was a bummer but we came well prepared for it, reached late night and slept satisfied with a great day!

We had decided to take a day's break before our long trip back towards Slovenia (which is tomorrow morning :)). I took Aanya out for a nice morning walk in Zaton, we slept well in the afternoon, I finished off some pending work. But we couldn't resist a drive in the evening. And Vas found a great beach from somewhere as she always does and came up with the idea of a drive through Dubrovnic city and sometime spent on this surprisingly not crowded beach. And it turned out to be great. The beach is located somewhat in a corner where tourists don't come often and it offers spectacular views of this fable like city!

Dubrovnic is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities I have been to, surrounded by waters, located on a mountain, winding roads, approaching bays, ships coming in, going out and then the Old Town, which will make anyone fall in love with the place. The drive through the city was surprisingly not cluttered, the crowds were less on a Sunday and we loved it! As the sun went down in the backdrop, Dubrovnic's city walls and the old town looked immensely mesmerising! So much history, charm, beauty packed into one small city! With Dubrovnic, our coastal adventure came to an end and it was time for our longest drive from Dubrovnic to Otocac, back to the mountains of Croatia.

The Sun sets on the Adriatic...
I am drenched in the cool waters upon the pebbles
The orange glow behind this city fills my eyes with wonder
And my soul wonders as well
The history behind those walls...
The present beauty of this city...
The amazing waters of the Mediterranean 
And me...and this moment
I am full of melancholy of the dusk!  

We were worried for the long drive but as it turned out, we zoomed through the highway, covering 450 Km in around 4.5 hours including a great break at a midway where we had one of the best Roast chicken ever, and Aanya slept for more than half of the drive.

Although we see so many pictures of the places we are going to stay, but they never convey the true feeling, I had a gut feeling that Otocac would be a decent country side place, at least a nice 2 day green time before heading back, but it turned out that its one of the best country side stays we have ever had. We reached Porzor, the village near Otocac and were immediately taken in by the vibe and surroundings. Its a proper Croatian village near Otocac Town with lovely views of the mountains, vast green farm fields, a river running through, folks busy farming and living, cattle as always adding to the charm!

And the place of our stay, the Apartment, one of the best! Its a proper Summer Home where kids go and meet their grandparents and spend the summers. The owner of the place is a great guy, such a nice host, he immediately made us comfortable, showed us around his farms, plucked fresh fruits for Aanya and we all were in the Village Mode! Their Son and grandkids are here for Holidays and Aanya had a great time with them.

Now, the Life at such a Village. Its my fantasy, its something I see myself doing in my thoughts. Great house, farms, simple work, simple living, lovely family, close to nature...Who would not want all this? This Village is picture perfect! I guess better than all villages that I saw in Austria, Ireland and may be even Wales! Folks are great as well, we were like some rare species for them, who would have seen Indians before in this Village!!

Aanya saw all sorts of animals including long missing sheep, lots of them, cows, chickens, doggies, birdies, goats, milky white Swans...and Brown Bears! Yes, there is a lovely Beer shelter cum sanctuary run by volunteers in nearby forests here, we went their and saw some cute brown bears! Actually no words can describe how Quaint this village is! It will all sound repetitive, one has to be here to feel it, live it! Even the town of Otocac is such a nice small place full of life and great vibe!

Our Croatia trip is ending tomorrow and just last two days in Slovenia before heading back to chaos! Looking forward to Lubjlana now!

We reached Lubjlana and after a painful goodbye to our car, reached the apartment which was bang in city center, excellent place to stay when you have to roam around in the city. Talking about the city, Lubjlana surprised us, we didn't expect it to be this good. The vibe of the city was so adsorbing, the places around the river Lubjalinica are so inviting, full of local folks and tourists in merry mode! The bridges on the river, the boats floating lazily beneath them, sunshine, amazing walk ways....and the beautiful and mystical castle overlooking the town center makes a perfect European town. We loved the walks around, we walked a lot actually.

In addition to the town center the highlights for me were the The Tivoli park and atmosphere made by the thousands of University students. Aanya loved roaming around the park, seeing the ducks, and most importantly doing 'something' in the play area a lot :)

I will never forget spending 10 minutes inside the church near the park, while the priests were offering prayers in form of hymns, I could't understand a word, but the feeling, dedication filled up the beautiful church hall with magic that was so spellbinding.

We couldn't have asked for a better end to our trip. Lubjlana is one of the coziest European towns we have been to.

It was time to pack our bags, catch the train and then the flight, super long journey back to Bangalore. In the train Aanya was a little disturbed but we had a great time in Vienna, spending the evening around the train station. And the flights back were much more peaceful as the baby slept well, we could sleep, drink, watch movies.

A trip to remember, savour, most importantly the way Vas manages everything, plans everything, never fails to amaze me. Its because of her that I am able to explore the world, the wonders so well and now with Aanya added to the team, the adventure, the unknown element has made it even more fun to travel despite the added effort.

                                                                                                       ~Saurabh (10-Sep '16)


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Forever Me!

From the moment now…to the moment next,
A breath here, a breath there…
I am, here and now, then and there…
Forever, wherever, I am…
Alive or Dead, my body may be
Free I am, like the wind…
There is rapture in my being
There is life, smiling, flying…

Forever will be.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Two Worlds!

Space pervades between a word and the thought
Supposed to be linked, but drifting away
You think, you know, about to utter
But reality beckons and you are unable to say!

You want something, but end up doing another
Want to come out, but always end up pretending
Convinced you are, but seem confused
Should have surged, but always descending!

The familiar stare, and the buzz…
Standing on the stage of living, audience all around
Express the truth and see love diminishing…
So to the lies you are always bound!

The road you take, the one you wanted…
The one you knew you belong…
And the external influence deviates, disturbs, annoys…
Like an irking noise amidst a sweet song!

Purposeless error living seems to be…
May be it is, or they have forced that on you, think
Infinitésimal sense remains in the soul search
Or the error will pass in a blink!

Two worlds you and I live in…One for me and one for them
Yes, life is about giving, but not your soul
The inner space is where I am, you are…
Finding it, living there...is our only goal!

                                             ~Saurabh (02 Nov-14, My lounge)







Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Hidden behind my own Facades!

Oh I so love solitude, it makes me think
Time slows down,  deception of it weakens
The layers dissolve, pretentious self fades away
And I start feeling One with the One again!

The One, I miss when I am surrounded...
The One, my rain, when I am clouded
The One, who I am, not who you think I should be
The One, whom I know, whom only I can!

“Knowledge” of the world, or so do I think…
Like the dust on my car or the rust on it
How far beneath has it gone?
How soon can I wipe it off?

Rebel I might sound like, rebel I may be
But what for are the perceptions surrounding worth?
If they can’t let me be, set me unchained?
The image of the rebel suits, lets me breath!

Truth, can be for me what is not for you
So can be living, or the thought of it
If I worry about you, I survive, may be just…
The instant I stop, I start living again!

My mind whips off these Facades...
When it overrides me, and I lose control to it
I start becoming someone else,
I start identifying with the thoughts of this someone!

When you see me, you follow your mind
You see what you want to see, and paint your own picture
When I express myself, the painter in you gets a setback
Your brushes fade, and my reality emerges!

Living is about being me, being accepted or reject
My Facades are for you, my own doing
My word, my thoughts is where my being is
Thats where lies my truth, my bliss!

                                                                  …..Saurabh,
                                                                       (13th Sep ’14, Chikmaglur)
                     






Friday, April 11, 2014

I am...

My being so boggling, my being so blissful
I am, so I breath or I breath, so I am
Questions so many around existence so unique
Perplexing me one moment blessing me the other!

So many roles I play, so many plays!
I live, I laugh, I cry…
Sometimes just spread my wings…
And there I go…I am the wind! I fly…

I am the mountain, oh my ambitious will
Green, white, dry, wet…always in the transit
Desirous of an inside so strong, and the mind so still 
Want to be constant amidst changes so often. 

I am the river, thoughts spilling over the banks
Flowing, fumbling, eddying past
From being narrow and cool, to being broad and hot
My own self changing so fast!

I am the space, blank and pervasive 
From just being, to being everything
Drawing my own graphs of change
In the monotony calm, always finding the fling

I am the moment, here and gone and here again
I am my own definition , my own way
I travel, I stay, and I move again
I have this Life, and I make hay!


                                                                                  ....Saurabh, 11 Apr'14

Friday, March 21, 2014

A walk to the Temple.

Its dusk time, the sun seems to be in two minds, the bliss that its twilight showers on the lesser mortals has become too precious for the great star to abandon. Well, I sneak out of my hiding at this opportunity and out I go for a walk.

Its been a hectic day mentally with all the work updates, meetings, discussions and arguments.  Slowly, I walk out of the gate, cross the road and nature gifts me a healing sight! The lake is crowded with its residents and immigrants, chirping, swimming, flying, conversing! Water, as always, representing the vast calmness of nature, gleefully reflecting the rays that the Sun has bestowed upon it! The orange charm of the evening engulfs me into its euphoria. Its melancholic in a strange way, as I reflect back on the day, and find so many moments spent in futility!

I keep watching the lake, the birds and the Sun and slowly everything else around me gets engulfed into stillness. The people who were moving around me, don't seem to bother me anymore, the noise of the vehicles honing for no reason fades away, the conversations around me get cut off from my ears.

I only here my breath, sound of the water, the birds and the pleasant wind blessing my body with the velvet touch. The connection I feel with the elements is so profound, even if I lost it somewhere, it takes me no time at all to re-connect and float in it.

With the deep breaths I take, I can dive into my own soul and feel the beauty, the peace and the harmony. I lose the intent and the capability to think, I start feeling so blank that I could only relate to the outer space, symbolizing my inner one. I stop, close my eyes and nothing, just nothing comes to my mind but for the empty route of the Universe to the God within. Well, I take that route and after a while I forget everything that happened today or yesterday, I am here, I am in the moment and I am with myself!

When I open my eyes, the Sun, unwillingly so, is about to leave and blesses the Horizon with its last kiss! My eyes become teary as I start to walk again as if I want to follow the Sun, I don't want it to leave. But the bliss that it leaves me with seems to be enough to carry me for one more day and even beyond!

As the night sets in, I walk back to my residence, slowly getting aware of the world again but this time, there is no stress, no worries, I just keep walking unbothered of what everyone else is doing or thinking, or if someone is even seeing me.

I come across a friend who asks,

"where have you been buddy?"

I answer: "I took a walk to the temple"

Friend: "Hey, I didn't know you were religious at all!"

I just pass a smile to him….as we keep walking to the apartment!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

The day I quit a social network!

Here is my timeline, the Facebook way!

1999: Emails started connecting me with people farther away in 1999

2002: Mobile phones made me reachable anytime , low cost sms extended that reachability further! 

2005: Facebook made my Life more visible through the colourful and often deceptive facade!

2007: Smart phones jumped in to bring computing and networking in my hands. Android’s notification panel started pinging me all the f***ing time!

2009: I screwed myself by giving too much importance to mails and getting into the habit of thinking about every mail and responding immediately.

2012: Messaging services took communications and connectivity to the ultimate level of nuisance from 2012 onwards

Today: I feel tech-fucked! 

Living in today’s society is akin to being a part of not just one, but many social networks, offline and…ONLINE! Various networks, catering to different needs, be it professional or emotional, and all of them, exposing some or the other side of our inherent, deeply embedded nature, strength or weakness, well, thats relative!

I can’t believe when I think about 2001-2002 when I neither had a  Mobile Phone nor a consistently accessible internet connection. But I can believe that Life very much existed, we still had friends, we still chatted, we had a social image, the only difference was how easy it was to control these parameters of Living and how easy it was to find personal space and chose the way one wants to live and conduct himself. Well, I am not saying that we can’t today, everything depends on oneself, but it has definitely become more and more difficult. 

It would be unfair to discuss only the negative side. The social networks like Orkut, Facebook, LinkedIn and now whatsapp etc have had a tremendous positive impact on our lives. Connecting us to old friends, making new friends, giving a vent to our political and social views, getting our businesses to speak more, generating leads, acquiring customers, networking with investors, keeping families closer, sharing our life experiences more and more….the list is endless!

I don’t want to sound as someone who is wise enough to pass judgements here on the advent of technology and its flip side, because I don’t think I am wise enough, I just want to pen down the pains that I have been through, my weaknesses that have been exposed and things I should have done differently during this online journey! 

Today, I quit a social network, whatsapp, which had taken control of so many of the processes I am involved in, be it my friend circles (current, school and college), company chit chat groups, CRM and Tennis circles, family updates…what not! I won’t lie, as a half-techie I am a big fan of whatsapp and its simplicity and utility, I loved it for so many reasons. More than the network, I think, I failed to draw lines and manage the connections better, to bring me to this day when I had to quit it. Strangely though, I feel nice, relaxed and light! A feeling similar to the one I had when I had quit being a chimney! Only difference is people’s reactions to the two. Yes, its a failure at my end, as society for anyone is what he makes of it, so I am responsible. Hindsight, although not as good as foresight, but has been a great teacher for me. So, what were the reasons, what could have been different, I introspect:

1. Too many people,  too much localisation, too little connectivity!

Big groups, a lot of chit chat, jokes, even porn, lots of Bday wishes…but after being actively involved for somedays I realised I didn’t feel connected to the individuals. They are or were my friends, but the chit chat on the groups wasn’t enough to re-establish any concrete viable connection. Most of the times, only 3-4 of the entire group will remain active, discuss things that others don’t even relate to, being reduced to passersby….so where is the connection?

And when I stopped getting involved, people raised eyebrows and then those typical comments start flowing in making me the villain of the group!

2. Company groups and individuals: Story of the good, bad and the Ugly!

It was a simple and brilliant idea of keeping coworkers connected all day, making it ridiculously simple to follow up with each other, quickly decide reactions and response to customers, give each other encouraging updates, with a dose of inspirational quotes in between and the idea worked wonders. I have seen management team arriving at some logical conclusions and academic teams solving problems together!

But as happens with any group, a good news just floats through and increases positivity but if something goes haywire, people, instead of doing something for, as a first reaction, share it on the group and everyone panics, even if they have no control or role in the affair being discussed! And when I say panic, I have been an observer of some serious panic, which takes the managers no where and creates chaos, even impacting the customers! Herd mentality, at its worst!

Even on the productivity front, sometimes I have seen these networks becoming an enemy of focussed problem solving as they engage people in so much of multitasking and that the focus on one task reduces. And the discussion and updates make people feel that everything is urgent, everything should be done right here, right now…oh man, that “ASAP” thing!

Another great thing about the social networks is they have on boarded people of all levels and helped them embrace technology. At the helm of a company, I have been able to stay connected with every level of my team, which is good, in fact, great! But only theoretically. On some days, I start receiving messages from early morning, and people expect me to react immediately as if its an SOS call! One day, when I went online, I saw a flurry of messages from a range of team members, everyone stating some or the other problem and expecting me to find a quick solution bypassing all the members who are supposed to do that. And the tone of communication changed, the small distance that is necessary in managing reduced to ashes! Even reading through it was an issue, forget about me solving them.

As a teacher, I loved being connected to my kids. But always tried to maintain some distance which I thought was critical for the learning process. Now my kids are everywhere, they love to connect with me, I love listening to them, but as happens in our society….the expectation of a quick response seeps in which is so hard to manage and then people start blaming you as if I was always supposed to read and answer!

3. Becoming too reachable 24*7, where is my own space?

I am not a believer of keeping the data connection always on, but then I tried to align with people around me as these networks became hubs for work management and I felt by being offline I will lose connection as people naturally assume that I would read everything as and when posted!

But then, slowly, as happens in society so many times, people started taking my availability for granted and my own space started to shrink! Whenever I tried to stay off, people and processes would force me come back in. Yes, I am the one who should have managed it better, but when people start counting the number of likes on their post and relating it to happiness and fame,  passing decisions on anything and everything expecting people to agree or go to war….and when I try staying away, trying to pull me back, through various e-blackmails…I feel I shouldn’t have started at all!

I treasure my personal space, I love being alone, I love spending sufficient time on key decision making…the social groups turned me into a reactive moron at times who was just not thinking enough, only typing which has become faster than talking in today’s world!

4. The age old term of “Privacy”…goes for a toss!

Yes, privacy is a relative concept. And I should define my boundaries myself and not expect others to do it for me. But Can I expect others to understand my boundaries? How can I expect them to, when I know they sometimes become boundary less themselves!

I have seen my pics on social networks that I never knew existed, some embarrassing and some infuriating! I have seen people people coming and commenting on stuff they don’t understand changing the context of a healthy discussion. I have been exposed to various things social, round the clock and I have been a fool to keep myself updated unnecessarily, picking up my phone at every chance I get and flicking through the garbage information, and missing important ones in the clutter!

Yes, I have been a fool, and I have been my own enemy, the networks have just exposed my weaknesses!

5. Dumping grounds for negativity!

Lets accept, we have been enslaved by the internet! We keep growing helplessly at times and reading shit loads of stuff which makes no sense, adds no value! But I at least expected the groups of friends very close to me, to keep adding value to Life, positivity, knowledge and helping each other. But in a few days I realised these groups have also become dumping grounds of negativity that people carry inside! If you feel bad, type it, if you feel angry on someone, type it, you had a fight with your spouse, type it, you are pissed off with your country, type it…where is the time for the self, needed by people to sort out these issues, have these networks made us weak and dependent…turning us into online social cribbers?

No judgements again, I just felt I don’t belong here! These networks have just exposed what we humans naturally are, what our society as a whole is,  they have amplified it in every possible aspect. Barring a few precious relationships, and the irony is, these relationships don’t need these networks at all!

I feel sad that by quitting, I will lose the positive impact of the networks, but I feel extremely happy that I can plan things at my own pace, take time and react, don’t feel like a slave to everyone, remain connected in limited and necessary manner through mails, messages, calls….because the social network effect just went over board for me, crossing my limits of being a social phenomena! 

For now, I intend to be selective in using technology and internet, and making them to work for me, not the other way round! I intend to pick up my phone less, log out of garbage networks, connect to the internet only when needed and following a regime when it comes to working over the cloud, I intend to remain closer to myself than to others, giving others the much deserved space in the process. I have hit refresh and restart as tech has taught me to! I could have done so many things differently to avoid this sudden quitting, but I don’t want to think similarly in future! I love being a learner and a lesson learnt is more precious to me than my ego.

I hate cribbing, but thats what I have done here, thats what I wanted to do…I love taking issues under my control and thats what I am looking forward to!

If not 12, have been few years a slave, happy to break free and breath the fresh air :)

I quit…and I don’t intend to go back to smoking the network again!